System and method for adaptive rate shifting of video/audio streaming

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for carrying out video and/or audio adaptive-rate streaming, comprising providing two or more encoders, wherein each encoder is tuned to and responsible for a specific range of bandwidth, and a media bridge forwarding data packets from an encoder to one or more clients, wherein the encoder is selected according to statistics representing one or more communication quality parameter.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method for carrying out video and/or audio adaptive-rate streaming, the method comprising:
 providing a group of encoders, wherein each encoder is tuned to and responsible for a different sub-bandwidth within an available maximum bandwidth capacity,   selecting an encoder for each of one or more clients according to statistics representing one or more communication quality and visual video quality parameter,   each encoder encoding one or more video streams for its clients, and   forwarding data packets from each encoder to its client.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each encoder deals with clients having the same properties and needing the same range of bit rates. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said providing comprises choosing an appropriate video codec and/or audio codec for each sub-bandwidth. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said providing comprises limiting each encoder to deliver a predefined range of bit rates defined for its sub-bandwidth. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said statistics are a combination of at least
 one of: “degradation level” and perceptual measure.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the size of a sub-bandwidth is chosen according to the qualities of the encoder selected for said sub-bandwidth. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for the video and audio adaptive-rate streaming, comprising:
 a group of encoders, each of which is tuned to and responsible for a different sub-bandwidth within an available maximum bandwidth capacity,   wherein each of one or more clients is selectably connectable to one of said encoders according to statistics representing one or more of:   communication parameters and perceptual parameters,   each encoder to encode one or more video streams for its clients; and   a media bridge to decide with which encoder said clients are to be associated and to forward data packets from each encoder to its clients.   
     
     
         26 . An apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said media bridge is configured to take an encoded stream of a Group of Pictures from each encoder and to forward said encoded stream to clients according to their statistics at every Group of Pictures. 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said media bridge comprises a unit to connect any client to a specific encoder depending on feedback statistics of a Group of Pictures sent by the client to the media bridge. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said media bridge comprises a unit to generate an average performance factor for each encoder according to statistics received from said clients connected to said encoder. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein each encoder continuously adapts its bit rate according to said average performance factor. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the media bridge comprises a unit to dynamically switch the connection of a client managed by a first encoder to another encoder according to client statistics. 
     
     
         31 . An apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the media bridge comprises a unit to check that the statistics sent by the client match its encoder. 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said statistics are at Group of Pictures resolution. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the statistics are a combination of blockiness level and packet loss level. 
     
     
         34 . A method for determining a degradation level of a transmission, the method comprising:
 determining a ratio between the number of RTP packets emitted by an encoder and the number of packets received by each client;   if the degradation level is low, decreasing the length N of an RTP filter; and   if the degradation level is high, increasing the filter length N.   
     
     
         35 . A method for encoding the video of each group, the method comprising:
 splitting a video or an audio frame into sub-frames replacing said frame, using a 2D wavelet approach;   encoding each sub-frame of a video or of an audio separately;   creating a new compressed raw data by joining each of the encoded sub-frames;   splitting said new compressed data into four compressed data; and   encoding each one of the four compressed data.   
     
     
         36 . A method for performing adaptive streaming, the method comprising:
 dynamically attaching each client to an encoder operating within one sub-bandwidth; and   continuously adapting the bit rate of each encoder according to average statistics of all clients attached to said encoder.   
     
     
         37 . A method for performing continuous bit rate adaptation of multiple clients, the method comprising:
 determining the average statistics of said multiple clients having the same channel properties; and   continuously adapting a bit rate of an encoder encoding data from said multiple clients based on said average statistics.